The German patent application DE 42 08 818 A1 discloses a method and an apparatus for placing articles into packaging trays. The articles are supplied on an infeed conveyor and their position is determined by an image processing system. A computer controlled suction and/or gripping device seizes the recognized article and transfers it to a particular position on the conveyor belt. In order to increase the speed of placement of articles into the containers, at least a second suction and/or gripping device is provided. The articles to be placed, however, need to be placed at an ordered position into compartments of the containers on the conveyor belt.
The examined German patent application 1066478 discloses a machine for inserting containers into a common packaging container. For holding the containers during the compilation of the respective group of containers a fixed platform extending to the edge of the loading gap is provided. The loading gap consists of plural bars at a lateral distance from each other. The loading platform, movable back and forth, comprises plural longitudinally extended carriers arranged between the bars of the fixed platform, which are arranged on the head of the feeding device at a distance one next to the other, and which are, by means of the feeding device, movable in a plane somewhat below the surface of the fixed platform between a retracted state, in which they are within the fixed platform, and an advanced state, in which they extend beyond the ends of the bars forming the fixed platform over the loading gap. This apparatus however is very much geared towards the size of the groups to be compiled. With this apparatus there is no variability.
The European patent 0162933 discloses a method and an apparatus for the ordered placement of objects, in particular chocolates, into containers. Plural feeding conveyors are provided, each of which transports a different type of article. The containers, into which the articles are to be placed, pass the conveyor belts in such a way that the articles are placed into the respective compartments provided for them in the container. A variable placement, or a variable grouping of the articles, respectively, is not possible with this apparatus, either. If different containers are used, the apparatus has to be adequately adapted in terms of mechanics or software.
The German utility model DE 29807979 U1 discloses an apparatus for grouping or decollating articles. The articles are transported in one or plural dense files on a conveyor belt or the like. For further processing the articles are separated individually or in groups. To this end elements that can move back and forth in the direction of transport are provided, which can engage or disengage the articles in a controlled manner. Thus the individual articles may, depending on the requirements, be grouped or decollated for further transport, for example to a packaging machine.
However, this apparatus, too, is suitable for the processing of one type of article only. If plural types of articles, or different sizes of articles, are to be processed, the machine has to be adapted in each case. This obviously increases the machine downtime of a downstream processing machine.
The German patent application DE 4207725 discloses a method and an apparatus for packaging objects in a continuously running process. The objects are distributed in groups for packaging. Each of these groups is combined into a handling unit by packaging. During the entire packaging process each group is supported at least at the front and back with respect to the direction of transport.
The European patent EP 0856465 B1 discloses an apparatus and a method for placing articles in containers. The individual products are supplied un-ordered on an infeed conveyor. Counterstream to the infeed conveyor the containers are supplied also on at least one conveyor. Furthermore gripping systems are provided, which seize the un-ordered articles on the infeed conveyor and place them in the corresponding containers in the respective compartments provided.
The German patent DE 4243010 C1 discloses a packaging machine. Packing and unpacking of articles into or out of handling units is possible with the packaging machine. The packaging machine is provided with at least one controllable gripping element which is moving continuously on a closed path. The gripping element exhibits a packing head, which seizes the handling unit and displaces it accordingly. Empty handling units for the packing of articles and handling units filled with articles for unpacking are supplied to the packaging machine simultaneously, wherein during a complete revolution of the packing head the articles are taken from a handling unit supplied, placed on the article conveyor, and articles supplied to the packaging machine are placed into empty handling units supplied. The apparatus is not useable variably without an adaptation, either.